The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1887-10-14
SENATOR POPE on HOUSE FILE
I NO.i6z.

A Pioneer Pres reporter yesterday
interviewed Senator Pope, of Man
katO, ON the much mooted H. F. No. 157
and here is his position
Senator Pope Of Mankato- House File
| 157, chapter 159, Genera Laws of 1887,
received my approval and support on
| its passage for what then conceived 70
be its merits. voted for the bill fully
understanding that it released the st.
Paul Il Chicago RAilroad company from
| payment of taxes prior to 1884 and that
that road then accepted the situation
without further dispute or litigation and
that the bill assured the collection OF
taxes for 1884 and subsequent years on
lands granted said road.
The Senator was seen to-day by q
FREE PREss reporter and questioned
further about the matter. The Senator
Gays he does not now reeoliect whether
or not the words ''and Others appeared
in the title OF the bill at the time of its
passage, but he takes the very tenable
grounds that without such language the
title would have been entirely imper-
feet. The very first section of the bill
provides "that all back taxes of the St.
Paul & Chicago railroad company in
Guiding in the swamp land grant made
by the State to that company which are
and remain the property of that COM
pany for any and all years prior to 1884
be and the same are hereby RENTED,
and the State auditor is hereby directed
to place said lands upon the tax lists for
the year 1884 and subsequent years, and
cause the taxes of those years to be duly
levied and assessed thereon pursuant to
the statutes in such case made and pro-
vided."
The title of the bill reading IAN act to
relieve settlers and others from pay
ment of certain back taxes" would
most certainly be deficient in the very
essence ofthe meaning of the provs-
ions Of the act, did not the words "and
others" appear. Senator Pope says
that so far as his action in voting for the
measure is concerned he feels himself
fully justified, and he looks upon the
attempt to besmirch Gov. McGill,
through, weak technicality, as un-
worthy the men who are leading the at
tack.
The words ''and Others" which it is
claimed were INTERCEPTED after the bill
had passed, appear in no place except
in the title of the act. and without which
the title had as well been dropped en-
tirely and simply left the measure with
out a "head." Senator Pope is Dem
ocrat, but ne is too honorable to be
drawn into a web of Congressman Will
sons weaving, when it is so conspicu-
ously plain that it is made for the sole
purpose OF deceiving the people and to
bring reproach upon the Governor for
approving bill that passed both
branches of the legislature almost unan-
imously, and in which there is nothing
that would justify him in doing other
wise than he did.
Senators WhitAms-y-of Duluth, Du-
rant, Of saltwater, Child, of Glencoe and
Kellar, Of Sank Centre, all Democrats,
have interviews in the same paper with
Senator Pope, and each one expresses
himself as to the business of the meas
ure, and understood that the bill was
to afford relief for back taxes to the
railroad company mentioned at the
time of its passage. These gentlemen
do not look upon the bill as in anywise
. party measure, which it surely ID not,
and the efforts Of those who are trying
to show the Governor unfaithful to his
trust as the chief executive of the State,
by signing this bill, will find themselves
standing alone in the end. The very
best posted men in the Democratic
party condemn such unfair treatment,
and some of the ablest senators in the
party are not ashamed to stand up man
fully for the bill and to vindicate the
action of the Governor.